China’s Staccato to Enter Japanese Market

The women’s shoe brand is gunning to open 100 stores within five years.

TOKYO — One of China’s biggest women’s shoe brands is making the foray into the Japanese market. Baroque Japan Ltd., the company behind such popular Japanese brands as Moussy, Sly and Rienda, hosted a launch party Wednesday night for footwear brand Staccato at the newly opened Andaz Tokyo hotel. Baroque holds the license for Staccato in Japan.

Staccato’s origins are in Hong Kong and it currently has more than 1,000 stores worldwide, but this latest venture marks its first entry into Japan.

Two boutiques in Tokyo and one in Nagoya are planned within the next month, and Hiroyuki Murai, representative director and chief executive officer of Baroque, said he’s gunning to surpass 100 Staccato stores in Japan within the first five years.

The product offering will be catered to Japanese consumers, and will include certain styles or colors that are not available in other markets. Leather shoes are priced between 11,800 yen (about $113.50) for a pair of loafers and 24,800 yen (about $238.50) for over-the-knee boots. Murai said that this affordability is part of what attracted him to Staccato.

“Japan’s ladies’ shoe market is…big, but there are no strong players [at this price point]. This is the point how come we are starting this business,” the executive said.

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